Cold War Thrillers

Man On A String (1960) - Not Rated
Starring Ernest Borgnine, Kerwin Mathews, Alexander Scourby; Directed by Andre De Toth (House of Wax)
Renowned director Andre De Toth (House of Wax) actually got permission to go into East Berlin and Moscow to film much of this pulse-pounding Cold War thriller, based on actual events. Academy Award®-winner Ernest Borgnine (1955, Best Actor, Marty) gives one of his finest performances as a Russian-born movie producer (inspired by composer Boris Morros) whose background makes him an ideal counterspy for the "CBI." He agrees to the deception, and, aided by agent Avery (Kerwin Mathews, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad), he pretends to defect - but how long can he keep up the charade? The crackerjack cast also includes Colleen Dewhurst, Alexander Scourby, Glenn Corbett and in bit parts, Ted Knight (in his film debut) and Seymour Cassel.

The Deadly Affair (1966) - Not Rated
Starring James Mason, Maximillian Schell, Simone Signoret; Directed by Sidney Lumet (Dog Day Afternoon) with score by Quincy Jones
Director Sidney Lumet tackles this cold war spy thriller based on a novel by master of the genre, John Le Carré. James Mason plays British secret agent Charles Dobbs, who's puzzled by the sudden suicide of a man he's recently investigated. The suicide seems contrary to his own findings, and Dobbs questions the recent widow (Simone Signoret) in an effort to understand the man's state of mind. When the Foreign Office tells Dobbs to drop the inquiry, he persists, even enlisting a retired investigator when he turns up further disturbing evidence. All of this takes place while Dobbs is dealing with the news that his frequently unfaithful wife (Harriet Andersson) has been carrying on an affair with his friend and protege (Maximilian Schell).

Otley (1968) - Rated PG
Starring Tom Courtenay, Romy Schneider; Directed by Dick Clement
Born loser Gerald Otley (Tom Courtenay) is a freeloader living off the nearly exhausted kindness of friends and former lovers. One night, Otley is drunk and awhen his host is murdered. The next morning, before the police arrive, he is kidnapped by a beautiful woman he met the night before (Romy Schneider) and her partner, who attempt to extract information from him but eventually determine he's clueless. Realizing he's in the midst of an espionage conspiracy and also wanted for murder, Otley stumbles from one near-crisis to another, incapable of distinguishing friend from foe, and unable to extricate himself. Set in swinging London, the story is propelled by Courtenay's charm and a sense of humor informed by the best of British spy films; co-written and directed by Dick Clement.

A Dandy in Aspic (1968) - Rated R
Starring Mia Farrow, Laurence Harvey, Tom Courtenay; Directed by Anthony Mann (El Cid) and with a score by Quincy Jones
This stylish '60s espionage thriller (with a score by Quincy Jones) bounds between London and Berlin, following cool and inscrutable Alexander Eberlin (Laurence Harvey, The Manchurian Candidate), a British agent tasked by MI-6 with finding the double-agent in their midst. Unknown to British Intelligence, Eberlin is the Soviet Agent Krasnevin, and when his Soviet contact is eliminated, Eberlin is running for his life, while still to play the game. Eberlin is tracked closely by his partner Gatiss (Tom Courtenay, Billy Liar, Otley) an agent-assassin who despises him and is suspicious at every turn. Complicating matters is the flighty but sincere Caroline (Mia Farrow, Rosemary's Baby), who enters Eberlin's life and truly wants to be a part of it - perhaps the only real thing in it. But, Eberlin's created a web so tightly wound about him that he no longer can be sure who to trust, or even of his true identity. A fascinating, engaging thriller and the final film credit for director Anthony Mann.

Hammerhead - (1968) - Rated R
Starring Peter Vaughan, Vince Edwards, Diana Dors; Directed by David Miller (Lonely Are the Brave)
Hammerhead is the international criminal. Hood, the American spy sent to intercept him before he can acquire nuclear secrets. This 1960s' espionage thriller features girls aplenty, international locations and plenty of style. Featuring Peter Vaughan (Time Bandits, Brazil) as Hammerhead and Vince Edwards (Murder By Contract) as Hood - with Diana Dors (The Long Haul, Blonde Sinner), Judy Geeson (To Sir, with Love) and Beverly Adams ( Garden, Birds Do It). Exceptional chase scenes and a fantastic score make this one worth nabbing.

The Executioner (1970) - Rated PG
Starring George Peppard, Joan Collins, Oscar Homolka, Judy Geeson; Directed by Sam Wanamaker (Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger)
When a covert operation in Vienna goes awry, British Intelligence operative John Shay (George Peppard) suspects his colleague, Adam Booth (Keith Michell), may be a double agent. Despite help from his girlfriend, Polly (Judy Geeson), a clerk at MI6, Shay fails to convince his superiors of his theory. Undeterred, Shay learns from scientist Philip Crawford (George Baker) that Booth has been trying to steal top-secret documents. Appointing himself executioner, Shay kills Booth and then assumes his identity to obtain conclusive evidence that Booth was a traitor, only to discover the dead man's wife (Joan Collins) is now Crawford's mistress, and Soviet Intelligence has set him up.